Tape Analysis: Creativity I

Journal/Book: Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery. 1992; 3: 107-118.

Abstract: This paper is a musical analysis of a selection of classical music for use in GIM sessions. The methodology, which includes semantics, syntactics and ontological considerations, examine's the listener's reactions to the music, the technical elements of the music, and how the period in which it was written is reflected in the piece. The paper also discusses how the musical elements effect the psychodynamics of the therapeutic process.

Note: Presents - with the help of Joy Caroll Pell - a table/grid for syntax listening includingthe following parameters: Key and mode, Pitch, Rhytm, Tempo, Dynamics, Melody, Horizontal-Vertical, Dissonance-Consonance, Chromatism, Orchestration, Instruments, Intervals. The analytical methodology and presentation format is Kasayka's 5 step proces (that is: going back to Forinash & Gonzales*). All five pieces are discussed in the format: 1. Open listening (with immediate recording of reactions and impressions), 2. Listening for semantics ("feelings, metaphors, images, relaxation-consciousness level, associations, memories, and physical entrainment), 3. Listening for syntax (mode, form etc. also filling in the grid), 4. Listening for ontology (relevant details of composer's life, period, the piece etc.) 5. Open listening (Post-analysis). The author states of course, that CREA I is tape#1 in a series of 6, developed by Keiser-Mardis to reflect the 5 stages of creativity: acknowledging, examining, distancing, refining and enjoying. CREA 1 presents an overview of the entire proces and includes all 5 stages. The problem of this methodology and format is, that it is too unspecific, not really relating the subjective experiences of the open listening and the semantic level with the more objective statements on syntactics and ontology. Furthermore, the syntactics are very unspecific and unprecise in themselves. This is illustrated by the grid - especially in the to long pieces (Sibeius and Vaughan Williams) it is impossible to synthesize e.g. Key, Rhytm, Melody and Instruments to single statements like "at beginning, continual bass strings" (Sibelius; instrumentation) or "there is a melody, it is not significant" (Vaughan Williams; melody). All musical elements (in the grid) seem to be of equal importance - and the prose text on "Listening for Syntax" does not really discuss the salient features of the piece. Also lacking is a discussion of the musical-dynamics-as-experienced-and-heard (apart from relating the piece to the specific stage of the creative proces). In long and structurally complex pieces this aspect is of great importance,- musical transformation processes always being metaphors of psychological transformation processes. In the conclusion the author makes a stimulating suggestion: "The composers on this tape and all of the pieces are based, in some way, on folk music. This last is exeedingly interesting ontologically and perhaps reflects the fact that creativity springs form something very intuitive and even primordial." What should be discussed more in depth is the way the folk music is tranformed in the pieces - and the potentials of these specific transformations or modern, creative musical idioms. LOB 6.5.96

Keyword(s): GIM. Guided Imagery and Music. Phenomenology. Music analysis

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